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Book Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors–
eZine Issue #80 July 17, 2019
Publisher: Judith Briles
Practical Publishing Advice and Guidance for Authors
In This Issue
1. Author Tools … use brackets in posts
2. Mini Extravaganza … it’s a Publishing Palooza with Joan Stewart
3. Unplugged … Book Marketing is coming in October
4. Come Cruise with Me … January 25 – fab workshop, excellent fun
5. Webinars … Publishing Blunders
6. Hot podcasts for JULY… 4 to put on your calendar (always archived)
7. Question of the Week … How do I find the right podcast to my book to?
8. Book Shepherd "Fun" of the Week … smart cats
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This Week Under The Book Shepherd’s Roof:
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Hello and Good Publishing Day to YOU.
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Ahhh … "the quiet" of summer descends for me … I WISH … I’ve been swamped and working on clearing my calendar to work with just clients during the month of August. All the parties are over—and loved. But so much to do. Books to finish. And …
Planning for the Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame Induction. HOLD the date—it’s Saturday, September 14th at 5 p.m. It will be biz dress or dress up—the site is the Colorado Automotive Dealer Association. Twenty truly reader changing authors will be inducted to the inaugural Hall of Fame event. Plan on being there. More to come.
Come cruising with me. FIVE cabins are left … is one yours? The 2020 Publishing at Sea cruise begins in Miami, FL on January 25, 2020. Watch the clip below of the webinar replay that this year’s faculty did a few week’s ago. It’s below—30+ Sizzling Tips. And join us. Details at www.PublishingAtSea.com … or just call me.
Don’t you
love it when something rolls out in front of your eyes as a delightful surprise? Typically, John and I slip out in the late afternoon on Tuesdays—kind of our "date day." Movies are the first destination then dinner. Why Tuesdays? Ahh, it’s the discount day for Stubs members at AMC theaters. This past Tuesday, we slipped into Spiderman. And we loved it, especially the new Spiderman actor, Tom Holland. If you see, stay post the credits—that means all of them. If you saw Captain Marvel, it ties it all up!
The power of the "in-person" connecting with other authors is stratospheric. The support. The insights. The ahas that can just pop up and out. On Saturday, September 7th, the insightful and full of info and how-to, Joan Stewart will be our presenter for the Publicity Palooza … the mini-Extravaganza coming up. Be there. It’s a full day of press release how-tos, hot seats, publicity tips. Full details on the AuthorYOU.org website under events. Early bird is on until August 15. AND … this is Joan Stewart’s FINAL presentation … do .. not … miss … it. Details are on the website … www.AuthorYOU.org.
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The August Saturday AuthorYOU Salon will be held on the this Saturday, the 13th– join me at my home—we call it Casa Quatar! The AuthorYOU Salons—if you are in Colorado—come for coffee or tea … it’s on me. It’s a perfect way to start your Saturday for author savvy and know-how. Details HERE.
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Last Saturday’s was packed … 20 were here!
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Want Tips for Authoring and Publishing? This week on our podcast: AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing, it’s all about story boarding your book.
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The next Unplugged is a new one: Book Marketing Unplugged. Book Marketing
Unplugged! Want to morph your author and book life. Join me in June for two fun and deep-diving days at my annual Book Publishing Unplugged event.
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| The dates are October 18-19. The Hotel is the Hilton Inverness (nice!). October is beautiful in Denver and our classroom overlooks a small pond and golf course where you will be able to view the changing colors. Perfecto for learning, a bit of escape and spending two days with me. Space is always limited. Always new info—come! Details below. The early bird registration is on and I expect this baby to sell out early.
And, I’m setting up my August podcasts – all about celebrating authors and featuring many within AuthorYou. Looking forward to five weeks of ahs, insights, mistakes to avoid, "how they did it" …
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And, how was your week and what are you planning as you go forward?
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| JOIN the new AuthorYOU …
If you don’t, it’s a publishing boo-boo. AuthorYOU promises its members a lot and delivers more. And wait ‘til you see the bundle of goodies and discounts we are
starting to post on the website for Members only. All will be up before the end of the month. Yup, it’s a good idea. Not a paid-up member? JOIN AuthorYOU today.
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| And a heads up—hold the FIRST Saturday of each month for our live event meetings—
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Author Tools – Use brackets in posts!
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Love this tip from Kelly Johnson from CornerstoneVA.com:
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In your Blog titles, headers, reposts, retweets, and shares:
Add parentheses or brackets to your title. Recent study shows this led to a +33% click through rate
Ex: 20 Powerful SEO Tips (that actually work) --title sample
Ex: 20 Powerful SEO Tips that actually work (excellent info is this post—use them)
--Twitter sample
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Mini- AuthorYOU Extravaganza – It’s a Publicity Palooza!
Get Killer Press Releases and Hooks for You and Your Book with Joan Stewart!
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Create a Killer Press Release
&
How to Create the Ultimate BOOK Hook
Saturday, September 7
Is the Publishing Plunge for you?
How to Write Killer Press Releases That Sell Books
Nine out of 10 author press releases belong in the trash bin. The Publicity Hound will show you how to write a killer press release for your fiction or nonfiction launch and give you ideas galore for other types of releases you can write throughout your publishing career.
You will learn:
· The 9 elements of the perfect launch press release.
· Samples of press releases for fiction and nonfiction.
· The best free and paid press release distribution services.
· Key elements to include in your releases so you sell books in bulk, get invitations to speak, and invite the media to call on you when they need sources and interviews.
· Easy ways to come up with your own press release ideas by helping other authors on the hot seat.
Book Hooks: Fun, Timely, Compelling Angles for Pitching Your Book
If you can’t think of at least a half dozen juicy angles to pitch to
the media so they cover you and your book, help is on the way. The Publicity Hound will give you more than a dozen hooks you can use to promote your expertise, your topic, and your book.
You will learn:
· The difference between a press release and a pitch, and why they work hand in hand.
· The easiest place to start your publicity campaign.
· Unusual angles for fiction authors, including ways to promote your expertise.
· Fun hooks that most other authors would never think of using.
· Easy ways to come up with your own ideas for book hooks and angles by helping other authors on the hot seat.
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The Book Marketing Unplugged is Coming … Early Brid Rates Up NOW
Question: When should authors start marketing their books?
Answer: The day they start writing it.
Okay … so must authors don’t get a "pass" on this question. So, let’s reframe the question:
Question: When should authors start marketing their books?
Answer: NOW.
√ When your car begins to make an awful noise and just stops, you know you have a problem … right?
√ When your basement is flooded; when you noticed that
there are watermarks on your ceiling; ,r that water is seeping through your window edges, you have a problem … right?
√ When your computer goes blank and doesn’t respond, you know you have a problem … right?
BUT … what about marketing your book? Do you have a problem? YOU DO, if you have ANY of these symptoms:
· There are
people who would benefit from your book, and you aren’t connecting with them.
· There are people who are interested in your topic or your genre and you haven’t reached out via social media to connect.
· There are
people within social media that are interested in your topic and who aren’t engaging with you.
· There is a
change you are focusing on that relates to the premise of your book … and others "don’t get it."
· You are having difficulty persuading book buyers or your target market to buy your book.
· Your
ideal/target market doesn’t connect with your reasoning, rationale, solutions, or storyline within your book.
· Your social media and email contacts are less than 1,000.
· You have
engaged the "BB" gun approach to marketing—just aim anywhere; push it out to anyone at any time.
Do any of the above sounds like you? If yes, you have a marketing problem.
If that is you, then how much time are you spending working on a marketing solution? What are you investing in your time, energy and money to learn and create a plan that works? Savvy authors have learned that you cannot solve your marketing problem the next day by simply repeating what you did yesterday, last week, last month … or certainly,
last year.
Solution: Attend and participate in the first annual The Book Shepherd’s Book Marketing Unplugged. Successful authors have learned and practice: if my book marketing success is to be … it’s up to me. Join Judith Briles for Book Marketing Unplugged this fall. It’s a two-day intensive with just Judith. And YES, there will be hot seats for each participant.
Date: October 18-19
Site: HILTON DENVER INVERNESS – 200 Inverness Drive West, Englewood, CO 80112
REGISTER: https://thebookshepherd.com/book-marketing-unplugged
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Come Cruise with Me!
Over 7 days fabulous days January 25 to February 1, 2020
Get ready to change your publishing and authoring life.
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| It’s a working, learning vacation on the fabulous Symphony of the Seas!
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Create Your Ultimate Bestseller
Authors
who need a crash course in book publishing before they write; need to create demand for books that aren’t selling; who want to learn the latest strategies in marketing, publicity and how to keep the sanity in an overwhelming world can learn the inside secrets of how to create, write and market the book success that they envision during a Caribbean cruise.
The "Create the Ultimate Bestseller at Sea!" cruise includes training sessions and laser coaching.
At sea, participants will attend intensive sessions on strategic book marking, distribution, publicity, professional
speaking, social media and other topics important to creating a bestseller. They can also take advantage of laser coaching with the four experts. In port, participants are free to relax and enjoy the sites or just lounge around the massive ship that has something for everyone.
OUR PROMISES TO YOU:
· You will get the realities of publishing in today’s world.
· The how-tos of selling your book wherever books can be sold.
· Access to five publishing experts that you would have to pay a minimum of $300 an hour for any one of them on a one-on-one consult.
· The tools that you need to be successful in publishing.
· Address problems that are unique to you and your book.
· Shattering that publishing is a lonely business syndrome. You will learn and share from other participants problems and success stories–the Publishing at Sea Village
is ready for you!
· One-on-one consulting with the expert of your choice.
· When you get off this cruise, you will take away a clear plan of what you want to do and how to do it.
· After the cruise, a follow-up Q&A session.
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Wednesday, July 31
How to Avoid Book Publishing
Blunders, Bloopers and Boo-Boos that, will Sink Your Book
Whether you are just beginning the author journey or think you are an old pro, the publishing maze has a few tricks up its sleeve. Contracts can snag you, marketing can swamp you, and social media can suck your energy. No wonder authors become comatose—no longer, after this highly interactive, fun and "aha" session.
Your takeaways include:
· Identify the 7 deadly sins that too many authors make and are all too common.
· Learn what the "escape" clause is that every author needs to include in a traditional publishing contract.
· Come away with great tips and tricks to goose up your open rate on blogs and emails.
· Embrace the strategy to deliver "Best Seller" status on Amazon without
spending money or gathering up a bunch of gifts as inducements to buy your book on launch day.
· And much more!
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Hot podcasts slated for this month
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Tuesday, July 8th No Pitch Webinar for VIP AuthorYOU Members ONLY—the replay was emailed directly to members the following day.
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· Awesome Hooks with Joan Stewart · Story Boarding Your Book with Judith Briles· How to Prep for a TED Talk with Andi O’Connor
· 50+ Tips for Authors with Judith Briles
· Podcasters – How to Connect With and Get booked with Danielle Hampson
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Question: How do I find the right podcast to send my book to?
Answer: Great question. Make sure you listen to next week’s podcast on AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing—it’s the entire show, including the "do and don’t" components. Here’s the #1 tip—Google your genre, as in: podcast shows that feature mystery books.
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Book Shepherd "Fun" or an "Uh-Oh" of the Week
Love it when I find a fun shorty—a quick smile, a laugh out loud, a sip of tea … and back to
work—perfect. For cat lovers … meet some smarties!
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You can pick my brain … minimum time is 30 minutes. If you need one-on-one-time with me, I’m always open for a few minutes to give you some quick input. But, and it’s a BIG BUT, many call and expect far more than a few minutes.
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| Author Friendly Friday this week …
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Join Author Friendly Fridays: a fun, sharing and a dynamic closed group. You can join in the next week. It’s a full hour when you can ask questions—any question. And, I always include a few strategies to get your authoring life ahead of the competition.
It’s for paid subscribers ONLY and we do it on Zoom.
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This is how each call starts: I share a few strategies, tips and tools that attendees can immediately start to use. All share … and ask plenty of questions. They get answers. Definitely an excellent way to start a Friday. Those of you who aren’t participating, you are making a mistake. I love the variety of books and authors who have chosen to participate. What’s also fun, is the energy that can be felt with what everyone is working on. Love it!
Here’s the link to take advantage of it and subscribe: https://thebookshepherd.com/product/author-friendly-fridays-subscription
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And, if you have listened, support our podcast and post a review. Thank you!
The AuthorYOU – Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast is now heard on SEVEN podcast channels. How cool is that? Listeners can tune into the weekly (always new – no repeats) show on:
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That’s my author and publishing news for today … what’s yours?
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About Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd ™
Book Publishing expert Judith Briles, aka The Book Shepherd has shepherded more than 1,000 authors and created 500 best-sellers and award-winning books. She knows publishing inside and out from both the traditional and independent sides. Judith is an advocate for authors within her blogs, podcasts and speaking engagements. What’s her pet peeve? Two words: publishing predators.
She hosts the podcast AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing that generates over 100,000 downloads a month. Her website is www.TheBookShepherd, email: JudithBriles.com and phone: 303-885-2207.
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